October 2, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009 UPDATE:
JEFF ZELLER has been promoted to news director for WOFL-TV, the FOX owned station in Orlando. He has been the Assistant ND there, and has also worked in Pittsburgh, Detroit, Tampa, Dayton, and Cincinnati. He replaces GAVIN MALISKA who left the station in September after ten months as ND.
More in the next edition of the newsletter which will come out sometime this weekend.
Greetings:
After a few weeks of very heavy activity, it’s a bit slower this week, but we still have some interesting items.
One of the TWO new ND openings we have involves a veteran news director whose name many will recognize. And there’s ONE new ND to report….if you can call someone who was named ND last April a ‘new’ ND. (Yes, we’re a little late on this one…a reminder that we always appreciate your emailed tips to: rick@rickgevers.com)
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We have an obituary for a veteran Florida radio newsman, details about a Michigan station which has closed its news department, and we’ll tell you about a new job for a former ND which will win her many new friends among any auto racing fans out there.
All that and more, below.
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
Harding
WPXI-TV, Pittsburgh, PA…as we told you in an UPDATE earlier this week, CORRIE HARDING is leaving this NBC affiliate after 4 1/2 years as ND. Both Corrie and GM RAY CARTER say it was a mutual decision. Carter, a former ND in Atlanta and Salt Lake City, will oversee the newsroom, with some help from MIKE DREADEN, the Managing Editor at sister-Cox station WSB-TV in Atlanta, until the search for a new news director is completed.
Paolicelli
WWAY-TV, Wilmington, NC…veteran newsman PAUL PAOLICELLI has left this Morris-Multimedia owned ABC affiliate after two years as ND. Paul’s also been a news director in Houston, Orlando, and for the Ohio News Network, and has worked as the Washington Bureau Chief for the NBC o-and-os, and also worked in Buffalo. He’s also an author, having penned two books. (And, as of this writing, his well-written blog is still available on the station’s website!)
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
WMBB-TV, Panama City, FL…we’re beyond late in reporting the promotion of HEATHER KRETZER to ND here. Heather was named interim ND last January and given the position in April. She replaces long-time WMBB ND LARCHE HARDY who left the station. WMBB is owned by Hoak Media and is an ABC affiliate.
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OTHER NEWS MGMT. OPENINGS:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KWWL-TV, Waterloo, IA (listed 7/31/09)
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 8/7/09)
WSJV-TV, South Bend/Elkhart, IN (listed 9/4/09)
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (listed 9/12/09)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
KIAH-TV, Houston, TX (PM EP, relisted 9/18/09)
KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Special Projects, listed 9/18/09)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (AM EP, listed 8/28/09)
Northwest Cable News, Seattle, WA (PM EP, listed 8/7/09)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 9/4/09)
WOFL-TV, Orlando, FL (listed 8/28/09)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (AM EP, relisted 9/25/09)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (AM EP, listed 7/31/09)
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN (PM EP, listed 9/18/09)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, listed 9/4/09)
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, listed 8/28/09)
WPEC-TV, West Palm Beach, FL (relisted 9/18/09)
WZZM-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 8/7/09)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (PM EP, listed 9/4/09)
KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM (new listing this week)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL listed 8/28/09)
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA (relisted 9/18/09)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted 9/18/09)
WPTA/WISE, Ft. Wayne, IN (listed 8/14/09)
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OBITUARY:
Longtime Pensacola, FL, radio news director DON PRIEST died last Wednesday (September 30). Don was the ND for WCOA radio in Pensacola for 41 years. More details in this obituary from the Pensacola News-Journal.
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NAMES IN THE NEWS (and other stuff):
Another newsroom has closed its doors. WLAJ-TV, the ABC affiliate in Lansing, shut down its news operation last week and is airing syndicated programs. They are airing a 90 second news update at 11:00, which is produced by sister-Freedom Broadcasting station WWMT-TV in nearby Kalamazoo, MI.
Riser
Former News Director CHRISTINE RISER has a new job that will be the envy of anyone who loves auto racing. She’s the new Director of Advertising and Promotion for the Bristol (TN) Motor Speedway and Dragway. Christine most recently was the General Manager of several of Media General online operations in the area, and before that was ND for WJHL-TV in Johnson City, TN.
Lobo
Veteran TV executive DICK LOBO is retiring (again) as GM of WEDU-TV, the PBS station in Tampa. He’s been the GM there since 2002. Dick’s a former ND at WKYC-TV in Cleveland and a one time GM at WTVJ-TV in Miami. He also held network-related positions in New York, Chicago, and Washington.
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of Friday, October 2, 2009. If you know of any updates, corrections, or additions to this list, please let me know via email at: rick@rickgevers.com
WPIX-TV 220 E. 42nd Street New York NY 10017
KNBC-TV 3000 W. Alameda Ave. Burbank CA 91523
WYIN-TV 8625 Indiana Place Merrillville IN 46410 (PBS affiliate)
KNTV 2450 North First St. San Jose CA 95131
NewsChannel 8 1100 Wilson Blvd. Arlington VA 22209
WUSA-TV 4100 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC 20016
KXLN-TV 9440 Kirby Dr. Houston TX 77054 (Spanish Language)
WDIV-TV 550 W. Lafayette Blvd Detroit MI 48231
WXYZ-TV 20777 W. 10 Mile Road Southfield MI 48037
WTSP-TV 11450 Gandy Boulevard St. Petersburg FL 33702
WSFL-TV 200 E. Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale FL 33301
WOFL-TV 35 Skyline Dr. Lake Mary FL 32746
WPXI-TV 11 Television Hill Pittsburgh PA 15214
WCNC-TV 1001 Wood Ridge Center Dr. Charlotte NC 28217
WZTV-TV 631 Mainstream Drive Nashville TN 37228
WWMT-TV 590 W. Maple St. Kalamazoo MI 49008
WHP/WLYH-TV 3300 North 6th Street Harrisburg PA 17110
WHAS-TV 520 W. Chestnut St. Louisville KY 40203
WBRE-TV 62 S. Franklin Wilkes-Barre PA 18701
KSEE-TV 5035 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno CA 93727
WNYT-TV 715 N. Pearl St. Albany NY 12204
WKRG-TV 555 Broadcast Dr. Mobile AL 36606
WSAZ-TV 645 Fifth Ave. Huntington WV 25701
WFTX-TV 621 SW Pine Island Rd. Cape Coral FL 33991
WNWO-TV 300 S. Byrne Rd. Toledo OH 43615
WAND-TV 904 South Side Dr. Decatur IL 62525
WFFF-TV 298 Mountain View Dr. Colchester VT 05446
WNCT-TV 3221 S. Evans St. Greenville NC 27834
KRNV-TV 1790 Vassar St. Reno NV 89502
WPBN/WTOM-TV 8518 M 72 West Traverse City MI 49684
WMGT-TV PO Box 4328 Macon GA 31208
WWAY-TV 615 N. Front St. Wilmington NC 28401
WBBJ-TV 346 Muse St. Jackson TN 38301
KALB-TV 605 Washington St. Alexandria LA 71301